Genocide memorial, Yerevan
Continued from Bulgaria...
I like to use Lonely Planet guidebooks as an introduction to some of my destinations because they truly capture the essence of the country. According to Lonely Planet, "Armenia is a destination where you will be intrigued by history, awed by monuments, amazed by the landscape and charmed by down-to-earth locals. It’s not an easy place to explore – roads are rough, transport is hard to navigate and those who don’t speak Armenian or Russian may find communication difficult – but travelling here is as rewarding as it is revelatory."
There's little more to add. I did find transportation to be challenging because many cities lacked proper bus stations, and in those that had them, it was impossible to find bus schedules (buses departed when full). Additionally, everything was primarily in Russian, and very few people spoke English. Nevertheless, this is a country off the beaten path, with very few Westerners coming to visit. I saw quite a few Russian tourists but almost no Westerners.
